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<title>On Each Other's Team by bansheequeen (queenbanshee), xtremeroswellian</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24243340">On Each Other's Team</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenbanshee/pseuds/bansheequeen'>bansheequeen (queenbanshee)</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian'>xtremeroswellian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Smallville</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Absolute Justice, Coworkers to friends, F/M, Missing Scenes, friendships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:27:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24243340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenbanshee/pseuds/bansheequeen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver worries about Chloe when she gets hurt during Absolute Justice. Then they have a serious conversation about what friendship means.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Oliver Queen &amp; Chloe Sullivan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On Each Other's Team</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The second Icycle was on the floor, Oliver leapt down to the floor below without a second thought, landing on his feet without incident and quickly moving over to where Chloe lay, appearing unconscious. He barely glanced at Courtney, who was already knelt down beside her. </p><p>"Chloe? Hey!" He quickly slid an arm beneath her head.</p><p>Chloe wrapped her hand around her neck and moved to a sitting position, "I'm okay," she assured both of them.</p><p>"Easy," he murmured, helping her sit up, his arm remaining around her for the time being.</p><p>She lifted her head and glanced at Ollie then looked over his shoulder, "is he out?"</p><p>Oliver glanced over his shoulder, as well. "Looks like." He turned to look at her once more, worry in his eyes.</p><p>"I'll go help them," Courtney announced, looking between the two before standing up and walking over to where the others were.</p><p>Chloe looked back at Oliver, "what happened? He had the mask..."</p><p>"We worked together," he told her softly, shifting closer to her. "Did you hit your head very hard?"</p><p>"I guess so," she said, rubbing her temple, "but nothing some advil won't cure."</p><p>"You might have a concussion. I'll call Emil." He slid his arms beneath her and picked her up.</p><p>"I'm <i>fine</i>," she told him, shifting in his arms, "and I can walk."</p><p>"You can, but you're not going to," he informed her, carrying her across the room to the sofa and glancing over his shoulder. The others weren't even paying attention, with the exception of J'onn, who was glancing in their direction.</p><p>She gave him a look and shifted again, "seriously, Oliver, I've hit my head worse than this before."</p><p>"Yeah, I'm aware," he told her, raising his eyebrows. "Repeated head injuries are the worst kind." He gently set her down on the couch.</p><p>"I don't recall calling Dr. Hamilton when you were <i>tossed in through the window</i>" she pointed out, sitting up the second she was on the couch.</p><p>"I didn't hit my head," Oliver retorted.</p><p>"Still," she told him, standing up, "I'm fine."</p><p>He sighed softly. "Look, I don't have your nursing skills, and I'm pretty sure my bedside manner needs work. Humor me? Please?" He looked up at her.</p><p>Chloe gave him a look, then looked over as Clark and J'onn picked up Icicle and started walking out of the tower with him. Reluctantly, she sat back down and sighed.</p><p>A small smile touched his mouth as he moved to pick up his cell phone, dialing Emil's number and pressing it to his ear. As soon as the doctor promised to be over as soon as possible, Oliver hung up and moved back to Chloe's side.</p><p>She shook her head, "it wasn't that bad, Oliver."</p><p>"Never know," he said, watching her for a moment. "If it makes you feel any better, I threw up when Big Bird flew me here."</p><p>At that, she paused and smirked, raising her eyebrows, "really?"</p><p>He grimaced. "You really think I'd admit that if it wasn't true?"</p><p>Chloe considered him for a moment then shook her head, adjusting on the couch, "still, you don't have a problem with heights."</p><p>"It was more the speed at which we were flying," he admitted.</p><p>"You never ran with Clark or Bart, have you?" She asked, cocking her head.</p><p>"Can't say that I have." Oliver shrugged a little, leaning back against the sofa beside her.</p><p>"It doesn't make me sick," she told him, "but I always get a massive headache after."</p><p>"Some of us weren't made to move at the speed of light, apparently," he joked, glancing at her sideways.</p><p>Chloe smirked a little and nodded, "yeah, especially when it's cold out, it's pretty painful when you get to the other side frozen, especially when you were already half frozen to begin with."</p><p>At that, he arched an eyebrow at her curiously.</p><p>"Accidental trip to the fortress," Chloe told him, shrugging a little, "I wasn't dressed for the occasion, didn't know Clark was there, he had to rush me to the closest hospital."</p><p>Oliver considered her words for a moment. "Sounds like an...interesting time."</p><p>"That's one way to describe it," she said, shrugging, then moved to stand before stopping herself, she glanced at Oliver, "you don't have to stay, you can go help them."</p><p>"I think our super-powered friends probably have it covered," he told her with a shrug.</p><p>Chloe raised one eyebrow then pursed her lips together, smirking slightly, "need something to help settle your stomach?"</p><p>Oliver rolled his eyes. "Knew I should have kept that to myself," he said wryly.</p><p>She grinned and shook her head a little, "it was a sincere offer."</p><p>A smile tugged at his lips. "I'm good, but thanks."</p><p>Chloe looked at him for a moment then shrugged, leaning back against the couch, "how long until Emil gets here? Sitting here will drive me insane."</p><p>"He's on his way," he told her with amusement. "You know, Chloe, you should really give yoga a try."</p><p>She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes and raised a single eyebrow.</p><p>"Helps a person be able to sit still without it driving them crazy," he teased.</p><p>"Well, maybe I don't <i>want</i> to be able to sit still," she told him, smirking as she shifted on the couch.</p><p>"Sometimes you have to, though."</p><p>"And every time I do, I will be bitching about it," she said, shrugging then turning to look at him, "you don't have to stay here, though, I'm fine."</p><p>Oliver frowned a little. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"</p><p>Chloe raised her eyebrows and cocked her head, "no," she lied, "but you don't have to be stuck here too just because according to you, I have a concussion. "</p><p>"Uh-huh." He looked at her skeptically.</p><p>She shrugged and leaned back against the couch, "I'm sure you have more interesting things to do, Oliver."</p><p>"Meaning you want me out of your hair," he responded with a sigh. He rose to his feet.</p><p>"Meaning you have better things to do," she told him with a roll of her eyes, "and I'm fine."</p><p>"I'll believe it when I hear it from Emil," he told her. "But I'll leave you alone for now." He shook his head a little and moved toward the exit.</p><p>Chloe watched him as he walked out, raising her eyebrows a little but not saying anything else.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Oliver watched as J'onn headed off toward his own place, leaving him and Chloe standing outside the Italian restaurant where they'd had dinner. Drawing in a breath, Oliver looked upward and then over at Chloe, raising his eyebrows. "I'm stuffed," he admitted.</p><p>"Me too," she agreed, watching J'onn for a moment then looking over at Oliver, "no patrol for you tonight, I assume?"</p><p>He made a face. "If I patrol tonight I'd end up breaking the zip line and plunging to my death."</p><p>Chloe made a face too and raised her eyebrows, "yeah, lets... not do that."</p><p>He smiled a bit at that. "You heading back to Smallville tonight?"</p><p>She shook her head, sliding her hands into her jacket pockets, "no, I don't feel like driving."</p><p>Oliver nodded, considering that. "You wanna crash in the guest room at my place? More comfortable than that old couch."</p><p>Chloe raised her eyebrows a little then shook her head, "I'll be okay, thanks. The couch really isn't bad."</p><p>His face fell a little. "Right. Okay."</p><p>Frowning slightly, Chloe looked at him for a moment, "something wrong?" She asked bluntly.</p><p>"No," he said immediately, walking beside her toward the direction of Watchtower.</p><p>She shrugged a little and gazed over to the street, remaining silent.</p><p>"You're gonna freeze," he told her, glancing at her sideways and then looking ahead once more.</p><p>"I have a jacket," she told him, frowning a little again and looking over at him.</p><p>"The window's broken." His voice was quiet.</p><p>Oh. She was quiet for a moment, "I have blankets."</p><p>Oliver sighed softly, but didn't respond.</p><p>"Is there a reason why you're suddenly so worried about my well-being?" Chloe asked before she could stop herself.</p><p>He winced involuntarily. "Guess I deserved that."</p><p>"I'm curious," she told him, shrugging a little.</p><p>"Just because I suck at expressing concern for people doesn't mean I don't actually have any. I'm really not as self-absorbed as people think." He didn't look at her.</p><p>"I never accused you of being self-absorbed, Oliver." She told him, frowning.</p><p>He shrugged, still not looking at her.</p><p>"<i>What</i>?" She pressed, frowning harder.</p><p>"Just...forget it," he muttered.</p><p>Chloe looked at him for a moment longer then shook her head a little, sighing deeply, "okay."</p><p>"I <i>do</i> care about you. Just for the record."</p><p>She raised her eyebrows a little and looked over at him, "I never said you didn't," she told him, uncomfortable.</p><p>Oliver stopped walking and reached out, catching her wrist in a gentle grasp.</p><p>Chloe stilled and turned to look at him, her eyebrows arching high over her forehead.</p><p>"We're friends, right?"</p><p>She looked at him for a long moment then nodded slightly, "of course."</p><p>"Yeah, but see you hesitated before agreeing." His shoulders slumped a little.</p><p>"I'm trying to understand where this is coming from because you have to agree with me here, Oliver, that this isn't your usual behavior." She told him, frowning slightly.</p><p>He sighed and looked away. "Something Hawkman said."</p><p>"What did he say?" She asked, cocking her head.</p><p>"That I'm a jackass," he admitted, turning his head to look at her once more.</p><p>Chloe smirked a little at that and looked at him for a moment, "really? He called you a jackass and all of the sudden you have zero self-confidence?"</p><p>His jaw tightened a little at that, and he shook his head, not answering.</p><p>"C'mon, Oliver," she told him, taking a step forward so he could look at her, "you barely know this guy and yeah, they've been doing this for a lot longer than we have, but he called me a secretary when he saw me, you don't see me slitting my wrists because of it."</p><p>"It's a little different situation, Chloe."</p><p>"How is it different?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.</p><p>"Because what he said about you was a personal insult that was clearly ridiculous. He said I was a jackass in regards to how I treat--or rather <i>don't</i> treat the people I care about."</p><p>"Because he knows you so well?" She pointed out, raising her eyebrows.</p><p>"Clearly he was right," Oliver responded. "You couldn't wait to get rid of me earlier today and the idea of freezing to death at Watchtower rather than spend the night in my guest room is obviously more appealing to you, so..."</p><p>Chloe stared at him for a moment then sighed, shaking her head, "I was trying to get rid of you so I could get back to work without you telling me I had to sit down and stay put until Emil came over," she told him, "and I still have to be at the Watchtower so Bart, AC, Dinah and Victor can check in while they are on patrol, it's easier if I just sleep there." </p><p>"Sure," he said quietly, shrugging as he started to walk again, sliding his hands into his pockets.</p><p>"It's not <i>all</i> about you, Oliver," she told him, "you need to stop taking everything personally."</p><p>He paused at that, turning to look at her. "How many times have we hung out when it wasn't work-related? Besides tonight?"</p><p>"I don't know," she said, frowning  and shrugging a little, "we don't have a lot of free, non work-related time, Oliver."</p><p>"Still." He gazed at her. "People make time for each other when they're friends. We don't. <i>I</i> don't."</p><p>"We're not 'people', Oliver," she told him, "we don't have the kind of lives we can just make time for things, and although I think we should at least have the team get together more often, or at all, I guess, it's not easy."</p><p>Oliver sighed softly, looking down at the ground. "Maybe I <i>need</i> to make time for those things." His voice dropped.</p><p>Chloe cocked her head, "yeah, because if only <i>you</i> make an effort, hanging out with <i>everyone</i> will definitely work. Are you even listening to yourself?"</p><p>"That's not what I meant, Chloe." He looked up at her. "Look, I've never had any kind of normal life. And for the most part I've accepted that. For the most part, I'm grateful, even. But I've never really had anybody to actually just hang out with and talk to, either. And I need that. I <i>want</i> that."</p><p>Her face softened a little and she looked down before looking back at him, "sorry," she said quietly, "I didn't realize that that's what it's all about."</p><p>Oliver was quiet for a moment. "I don't really know how to do the whole 'friends' thing," he admitted.</p><p>"You're already doing it," she told him, "you have a lot of friends, Ollie."</p><p>"I have people who count on me and vice versa. I'm not sure it's exactly the same thing."</p><p>"I think it is," Chloe told him, shrugging a little, "you have friends you can count on and friends you can't, but you don't count on someone without considering a friend."</p><p>He paused at that, considering her words. "Maybe," he murmured.</p><p>She took a deep breath, "Courtney was telling me that when the Justice Society was active, the headquarters was kind of like everyone's second home," she said quietly, looking away, "they were each other's' family."</p><p>His chest tightened at that and he looked away, too. "They were apparently a lot more advanced than us," he murmured.</p><p>"Makes me wonder if that's what we're missing," she said quietly, looking back at him.</p><p>Oliver glanced at her again, as well, then hesitantly reached out and took her hand in his.</p><p>Chloe raised her eyebrows, surprised, but held on to his hand, it wasn't exactly the first time he had held her hand after all.</p><p>He offered her a tentative smile and gave her hand a squeeze. "What do you say we swing by Watchtower, grab the mission info and head to my place?"</p><p>She pursed her lips, she didn't want to, she wanted to go back to the Watchtower and just work until she was too tired to keep her eyes open, like she usually did, but after Oliver's speech about how he didn't have any friends, she couldn't bring herself to say no to him, so she nodded a little, taking a deep breath, "okay."</p><p>"Yeah?" He raised his eyebrows, a hopeful expression on his face.</p><p>Her chest tightened and she tried for a smile, nodding, "yeah, I just need to grab the stuff."</p><p>Oliver smiled at her, squeezing her hand again. "Okay, cool."</p><p>She smiled a little more and squeezed his hand back, nodding, "maybe we can talk about ways we can make the team work better." She suggested quietly.</p><p>"Yeah, we can do that," he agreed without hesitation, holding her gaze.</p><p>"Okay," she nodded slightly, smiling softly then nodding toward Watchtower, a little more comfortable with this since they would be focusing on something useful at least, "let's go then, I need to be online soon."</p><p>"Workaholic," he teased lightly, guiding her down the sidewalk toward Watchtower, more relaxed this time.</p><p>"Look who's talking," she teased back, smirking a little.</p><p>He chuckled at that. "Touche."</p>
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